A Lattice Spring Model for Coupled Fluid Flow and Deformation Problems in Geomechanics

GaoFeng Zhao • Nasser Khalili

A lattice spring model is developed for coupledfluid flow and deformation problems. The model has anunderlying structure consisting of particles connected bysprings for the solid and fluid bubbles, connected by fluidpipelines for fluid flow. Formulations of the model todescribe the coupled fluid flow and deformation behaviorof a solid are derived. A few examples of consolidationproblems are presented and compared with analyticalsolutions with good agreement being obtained, whichmeans that the lattice model developed in this study cancorrectly simulate the coupled fluid flow and deformationresponse of a solid.